We are still in the month of June, and our episode for today is still a part of our men’s health series. But this week, we will be focusing on a specific disease that’s been severely affecting Black men for a very long time already. I am talking about prostate cancer.
Did you know that there’s a higher incidence of prostate cancer in African-American men? The incidence is so high that it gets detected at a much earlier age, and more concerningly, Black men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer are found to have the more aggressive forms of it – hence resulting in a much higher mortality rate compared to other communities.
That is why I know that as a member of both the medical community and the Black community, I need to say and do something about it that will serve as the vehicle and engine for the change that I want to see.
So join me in today’s podcast as we talk about prostate cancer and why we need to put focus on men of the African-American community when having a discussion about it.
Why you need to check out this episode:
- Get a full understanding of what prostate cancer is and how significantly it affects men of the African-American Community;
- Know the risk factors that surround prostate cancer and which factors you have control over; and
- Understand why early detection and prevention, and not treatment should be your goal when it comes to prostate cancer
“Imagine, you have a disease that kills our community more frequently, is diagnosed earlier in our community, kills more people in our community, is more aggressive in our community. And because we don’t get the simple blood tests, because we don’t do the simple checkups, because we’re fearful of the system, we allow our community to die at a much more significant rate than other communities. We cannot have that” – Dr. Berry Pierre
Topics Covered:
00:00 – This week on the continuation of the Men’s Health series: Insights on prostate cancer on men, especially on Black men
00:57 – Fast facts on prostate cancer and black men: Why we need to put focus on the men of the African-American community when it comes to prostate cancer
03:12 – Family history and other factors that affect health status and susceptibility to prostate cancer, including those you can and can’t control
06:11 – What is prostate cancer?: Everything you need to know about the prostate gland and how it can end up as your killer if you don’t keep an eye on it and monitor its situation
08:01 – It kills us at such a significant rate than our other counterparts: Dr. Berry’s thoughts on why we should talk specifically about prostate cancer and black men
11:57 – Some of the different prostate cancer screening tools available, and how each of them works
17:28 – Surgery, chemotherapy, and more: Some of the treatment options for prostate cancer, and why we should look NOT to deal with those options and catch it early instead
19:07 – The risk factors associated with prostate cancer: Know how to modify and work on what you can, and accept what you can’t control
Notable Quotes:
“It kills us at such a significant rate than our other counterparts… Every good website will have a section where they specifically say ‘prostate cancer’ and then ‘prostate cancer in African-American men’. Because that is how much it is damaging specifically to our community.” – Dr. Berry Pierre
“Historically speaking, black men do not trust medicine. I know that wholeheartedly. And more importantly, I feel your pain and discomfort… You guys understand how historically speaking, medicine’s history is littered with racism, sexism, and so many atrocities specifically to the black community, and more importantly, specifically to black men. So we understand why you may be less reluctant to want to get a regular checkup. The problem is that, fast forward to 2023, our reluctance and our fear are killing us.” – Dr. Berry Pierre
“I see people who look like me die at a much more significant rate. I have to do something about that. I have to say something about that. And I need to be a vehicle and engine for the change that I want to see.”– Dr. Berry Pierre
“The screening, the recognizing, the recognizing early is the goal. Because if we do all of those things, our predictability to have a good life afterwards a.k.a. ‘not die’ goes much higher.”– Dr. Berry Pierre
Please SUBSCRIBE for new videos every Monday afternoon and Thursday Evening
